Dawn Rigby Memorial Scholarship

Guidelines for Charles Sturt University Foundation Trust

The Charles Sturt University Foundation Trust distributes more than 300 student scholarships every year. These scholarships are funded by individuals and organisations who strongly believe in supporting Charles Sturt University and its students.

Who can apply

• Any Australian/New Zealand citizen or Australian permanent resident who has applied for admission to Charles Sturt University or who is enrolled in a Charles Sturt course.  Both on campus and online students are eligible unless otherwise stated in individual scholarship criteria
• Any international students who are classified as an international student in Australia with either a full unconditional offer from Charles Sturt to study in Australia or continuing enrolment as a full-time student at a Charles Sturt University campus. The exemption is scholarships involving work placement due to citizenship requirements for work purposes.

Who cannot apply

• International students studying in their home country, online or at a partnership institution.

How are applications assessed?

Applicants must read scholarship criteria carefully before applying as scholarships are awarded based on the criteria for each scholarship.

Successful applicants are selected after a series of shortlisting processes, including a review by Charles Sturt staff and donors.

From the final shortlist of strong applicants, it is up to the donor to determine the scholarship recipient(s). Sometimes this process will include donors interviewing the strongest candidates.

Conditions of scholarship

If you are a recipient of a Foundation Trust scholarship, you must write a thank you letter to the donor. Email your letter to the CSU Foundation Trust scholarship office at advancement@csu.edu.au we will forward your letter onto the respective donor/s.

How will my scholarship be paid?

Most scholarships valued at $5000 or less are paid in full, unless otherwise specified. Check the scholarship webpage for payment details.

Ongoing scholarship payments are subject to you  maintaining satisfactory academic progress and continued enrolment in your course.  If these conditions are not met, scholarships may be suspended or terminated.

Can my scholarship be suspended or terminated?

Yes, if you fail to meet the criteria for your scholarship.

Suspension may occur if you fail to maintain  the GPA specified in the scholarship criteria.

Suspension or termination of a scholarship will occur if you are excluded from your course.  The scholarship may be reinstated if you resume your studies following an exclusion of no longer than one year.

Scholarships will also be terminated if the recipient transfers to another university or place of study. In some instances you maybe  required to repay the scholarship amount to the donor via the Charles Sturt University Foundation Trust.

Can I apply for an Approved Leave of Absence (LOA)?

In some circumstances, you may be granted a leave of absence which places your tenured scholarship on hold until you return to study, up to a period of 12 months.

Any request for a leave of absence must be made in writing to the Charles Sturt University Foundation Trust Scholarship Office stating the expected date of return to study.  Following re-enrolment, you must advise your return to study to re-activate your scholarship.

The decision to allow a scholarship to be placed on hold is entirely at the discretion of Charles Sturt University.
If the leave of absence is to be for more than 12 months you do not return to study, the scholarship will be terminated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tips on applying for a scholarship

For more read the information provided on the How to Apply tab on each scholarship

Having trouble applying?

If you're experiencing issues with your application, try these troubleshooting steps:

• Use Google Chrome as your browser (or switch to another browser if you're already using Chrome).
• Clear your Chrome cache.
• Ensure you only have one scholarship application open at a time.
• Try using a different device.
• If there's heavy traffic, wait a few hours and try again—errors can occur if many students are applying simultaneously.
• If the problem persists, feel free to contact Student Central for further assistance.

What should I do if I did not receive the email confirmation?

Your email receipt may take up to 24 hours to arrive.

• Have you checked your spam or junk mail folder?
• Did you enter the correct email address?

If you still have not received the receipt after 24 hours, please email ask@csu.edu.au with your application number, name, and student ID.

Am I eligible to receive more than one Charles Sturt University scholarship?

We aim to distribute scholarships as widely as possible to support many students. If you are already receiving another scholarship, this will be considered during the assessment of your application. Additionally, please refer to the specific eligibility criteria for each scholarship, as some may require that applicants are not in receipt of any other scholarships.

Students currently receiving an ongoing scholarship are not eligible to apply for additional scholarships while their existing scholarship is active.

How do I apply for a scholarship that has financial need as criteria?

You are considered in financial need if you receive an eligible means-tested Centrelink benefit (see instructions for obtaining a Centrelink Income Statement here) or are experiencing financial hardship. Supporting documentation will be required to verify your financial need. Acceptable documentation includes:

• Centrelink Income Statement (instructions for obtaining this document can be found here)
• Health Care Card
• The 3 most recent payslips (showing year-to-date earnings)
• Alternatively, you can outline your financial need in the 'Additional Financial Information' section of the application.

How much time do I have to submit additional documents or information if requested by the Scholarship Office?

If your application is marked as incomplete and additional information or documents are requested, you have 48 hours from the time you receive the notification to provide the required materials.

Can I save my application and complete it later?

Yes, you can save your application and return to complete it later if you log back in and submit it before the closing date.

Can I submit my application after the deadline?

Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

When will I be notified of my applications outcome?

Scholarships are reviewed by Charles Sturt University’s Scholarship & Financial Support Services after the application period closes. In some cases, your application may also be assessed by the scholarship donor, who will make the final decision based on the scholarship criteria. You will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible, but please keep in mind that we receive a high volume of applications.

What relevance does my ATAR have when applying for scholarships?

The ATAR is a ranking system designed to compare students who have completed different combinations of HSC courses. It is used exclusively by institutions to rank and select school leavers for entry into tertiary programs.

If you are a commencing student applying before receiving your official ATAR results, please provide the ATAR score you received following your HSC trial exams. If your application is successful, you may be required to submit your official HSC ATAR results for verification.

What relevance does my Grade Point Average have when applying for scholarships?

Most scholarships require a minimum GPA of 4.0 as part of the eligibility criteria, which reflects a 'passing' grade point average in your degree.

You can find your GPA by navigating to the 'Personal Details' link under the Administration section. It will be displayed at the bottom of your transcript page.

Can I use AI to answer the questions in my scholarship application?

AI might seem like a quick way to answer your written scholarship application questions, though keep in mind that a Donor will be reading your responses.  Donors want to get a genuine sense of who you are, and the best way to convey that is by using your own words.

Do I need to provide a donor thank you letter?

All Foundation scholarship recipients must submit a thank you letter to the donor.

Your scholarship offer is contingent upon providing this letter of appreciation to the donor of your scholarship. Donor thank you letters can be emailed to advancement@csu.edu.au.

If I am successful when and how do I get paid?

Payments will be made by EFT to your nominated bank account within 14 days after the census date or, in some cases, directly to your Charles Sturt student account.

Payment methods will depend on the specific scholarship you are awarded. Please refer to the guidelines or your scholarship for further information.

How do I register my bank details with Charles Sturt University?

You can register your bank details with Charles Sturt University through the online administration portal.

What should I do if my circumstances change after submitting my application?

If your circumstances change, it may impact your scholarship payments. Please notify us as soon as possible by emailing ask@csu.edu.au with any updates that could affect your original scholarship application.

If I meet all the eligibility criteria, am I guaranteed to receive a scholarship or grant?

Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee a scholarship or grant offer. The Scholarship Office receives many applications, and scholarships are limited, so not all eligible applicants will receive a scholarship.

Do I need to inform Centrelink or the Australian Tax Office about my scholarship?

Scholarship recipients should be aware that payments may be considered income by Centrelink or the ATO. It is your responsibility to seek independent advice regarding any implications from receiving this scholarship.

Can I apply for a scholarship while on leave?

Scholarships cannot be deferred. If you defer your studies or take a Leave of Absence, your scholarship will be withdrawn, and it will not be paid. You may apply again in a future session if you still meet the eligibility criteria.

What happens to my scholarship if I take a Leave of Absence?

You may take up to two sessions of approved Leave of Absence over the duration of the scholarship.

If you take a Leave of Absence, you will need to accept your ongoing scholarship offer, but payments will not be made during the Leave of Absence.

How to Apply

Step 1: See if you are eligible

Commencing and current Charles Sturt University students have the opportunity to apply for scholarships.  Please use the specific eligibility criteria listed on each webpage as a guide to the scholarship that can best support your study requirements.

Read the criteria carefully for each scholarship, you wish to apply for to ensure that you are eligible.

You can apply for multiple scholarships but each scholarship will require a separate application.

Step 2: Complete your scholarship profile

If you are new to Charles Sturt University, before you begin, completed your scholarship profile.  This will make applying for multiple scholarships much more efficient as certain fields prepopulate your applications.

Step 3: Prepare your supporting documentation

In most cases, you'll need to supply supporting documentation with your  scholarship application.

Check eligibility requirements for details of specific documentation.

Before you submit your application you must have your documentation attached.  This can include;

• Financial documentation such as a Centrelink income statement or your last 3 payslips
• Up to date resume
• An essay, research project proposal or reference letters may be requested
• If your selection criteria involves Local Government Areas (LGA), please supply ONE of the following:
  • electricity bill
  • phone bill
  • rates notice
  • school record

Step 4: Understand the deadlines

1. Pay close attention to scholarship application closing deadlines. Applications submitted past the deadline are not considered.
2. Always proof read your answers to the questions and ensure you answer each specific question for the purpose of the scholarship.
3. Attach supporting documentation as outlined in the eligibility criteria.